“Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord, they rest from their labors and their works
do follow them.” -- Revelation
14:13

Franklin
McCain has been written and talked about over the past few weeks on nearly
every news service in this country and around the world. His commitment to
justice, along with that of Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair, Jr. (later known as Jibreel Khazan), David
Richmond, and countless other young people and civil rights advocates was reminiscent of soldiers engaging in war
against earthly powers and principalities. There are no words to capture the
degree to which these college students took on the role of modern day
emancipators in an effort to build a new construct for living in the United
States. We all are beneficiaries of their great courage.

Our
scriptures remind us that those who die in the Lord – those who are engrafted
into the Lord’s service and sojourners on behalf of the good Lord’s will being
perfected are embraced in this moment – “they rest from their labors and their
works do follow them.” As a Christian belonging to the Presbyterian Church,
Frank McCain embodied the theology of John Calvin, who believed that our
responsibility was to challenge powers, principalities, presidents, and
potentates to lead in ways that God’s embrace and acceptance of all humanity
might be understood. He called those who would follow Jesus to do the same.

I
often wondered why he wore that ROTC uniform at the lunch counter on the day of
the protest and arrest. A recent article revealed that he did not intend a
statement. The simple answer was that he did not have time to take it off
before coming to the lunch counter. It is interesting that wearing that uniform
provided a statement about him that he did not even realize. His life
represented a willingness to serve his country and the very system that denied
him full human rights. However, his sitting down and refusing to bow to the
laws that would not fully broker him in was a symbol of his righteous
indignation – I am in this country and it
is my home on this side of heaven, however I will not accept your terms of alienation.
He and many others taught us how to love a nation and challenge it at the same
time.

He
was a family man who loved his wife and children. He was a brother to his
fellow human beings. He was a loyal colleague to those with whom he worked. And
he was a leader who knew, as Rudyard Kipling suggests, how “to walk with Kings
and not lose the common touch.”

But
as I take my seat, let me remind you that there are more than 12 million people
who are in need of being emancipated into full citizenship in this country. We
live in a nation where our children and adults are shooting themselves and one
another to death in murder suicides, homicides, mass killings, and street
corner crimes at the rate of over 30,000 per year. While states are suppressing
the vote many of our neighbors are refusing to vote. We have communities that are voting in numbers
less than 20 percent during this crucial period in history. Moral Monday is a
few days away. Have you been involved? Is your voice being heard?

Let
this moment – this hour – this remembrance of our brother, who is resting from
his labors, be a calling for you to stand up for the sake of justice in the
world. Let our tribute to our brother’s memory today be a renewal of a
commitment to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Jesus Christ has set us
free.

Frank
McCain’s promise by God Almighty is sure, “Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord, they rest from their labors and their works
do follow them.” -- Revelation 14:13

This critical
piece of federal legislation works to ensure that child victims of human
trafficking are properly identified by state child welfare agencies and receive
the comprehensive services they need to recover. H.R. 1732 amends the Social
Security Act to require state foster care programs, which receive federal funds
under the Social Security Act, to report on current and future efforts to
address the human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children in
their care. It also mandates data collection on the issue of human trafficking.

Additionally,
the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop
and publish: (1) best practices for training child welfare employees and court
employees on identifying all forms of child trafficking; (2) recommendations
for how state welfare agencies can prevent human trafficking; and (3) licensing
guidelines for residential facilities with regard to child trafficking victims.

The 218th
General Assembly (2008) directed the Office of Public Witness in Washington, DC,
to

a)express
concern for the escalation of trafficking within the U.S. and use the public
witness channels available to them to raise issues with appropriate national
and international representatives; and

b)partner
with ecumenical and interfaith entities to build coalitions against trafficking
and participate in activities such as the National Day of Human Trafficking
Awareness (January 11) and the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking
(UN).

In
November 2013, the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board approved a request
presented by the Office of Public Witness to affiliate with the Alliance to End
Slavery and Trafficking (ATTEST) in an effort to expand the work and
partnership of the denomination on issues related to Human Trafficking. ATTEST
represents one of the largest coalition of Human Rights organizations working
on issues related to the eradication of human (sex) and labor trafficking.

We thank one of our newest partners ATTEST for collaborating with us on this action alert.

In a world where more than 45
million people worldwide are uprooted from their homes by persecution and armed
conflict, deadly conflicts over natural resources are erupting around the
world, and 3,000 children are killed in the US by guns each year, what is the
role of the Presbyterian Church in working towards a world where all can
flourish in peace and security? The ministries of Compassion Peace and Justice
of the PC(USA) are coming together for the 4th annual CPJ Training
Day in Washington, DC to educate Presbyterians on the role the church is
playing in resisting violence and building peace both locally and globally.

Self-Development of
People is a ministry committed to assisting people as they identify solutions
to problems impacting them and their community. In this workshop hear from
people directly impacted by violence, how they have come together and how
through self-empowerment are working to rid their community of this violence
while at the same time healing themselves. Learn how you can assist people in
your community as they struggle for the right to live in peace without fear of
violence.

When the Global Market Gets Violent

Global partners – and their
Presbyterian allies – talk about the violent risks that threaten human rights
workers in settings where mining companies fight government regulations and
where land is grabbed out from underneath subsistence farmers who’ve lived
there for generations. Consider joining us in Joining Hands – as an individual,
as a congregation, as a presbytery – as we work to better lives.

Nonviolent Responses to the
Occupation

Palestinians, Israelis, and others
work in nonviolent ways to end the occupation of Palestine. This workshop will
provide an overview of nonviolent efforts with a focus on the World Council of
Churches Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
brings internationals to the West Bank to experience life under occupation.
Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) provide protective presence to vulnerable
communities, monitor and report human rights abuses and support Palestinians
and Israelis working together for peace.

After Compassion Peace and Justice
Training Day join our ecumenical colleagues for

Ecumenical Advocacy Days March 21-24

Come to the 12th annual Ecumenical
Advocacy Days and join hundreds of other Christians in “Resisting Violence,
Building Peace.” Guided by the image of Jesus weeping over a capital city that
turned from the true way of peace (Luke 19:41-42), we will expose the violence
that pervades our culture and world.

As people of hope, we are consoled
by the promise that “justice and peace shall embrace” (Psalm 85:10), and are
reminded that justice requires peace-making and that peace requires
justice-making. We will confront and imagine how to transform the violence in
our world, and together will seek a vision of peace in the community, peace
among the peoples, peace in the marketplace, and peace with the earth. Through
prayer, worship, speakers, and advocacy training we will discover a faith-based
vision for national policies that “guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke
1:79), all culminating with Monday’s Congressional Lobby Day on Capitol Hill.

The
Presbyterian Church (USA) is among more than 60 organizations that signed a
letter to the U.S. Senate urging members not to support the “Nuclear Weapon
Free Iran Act of 2013” (S. 1881). The letter warns that new sanctions could
“critically endanger” possibility of a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear
standoff with Iran.

“The
Joint Plan of Action signed between the P5+1 and Iran in November boosts
American and regional security by freezing and rolling back Iran’s nuclear
program for the first time in nearly a decade,” the letter points out. “The
agreement also institutes unprecedented transparency for international inspectors,
including daily inspection of Iran’s enrichment facilities.”

The U.S. and
Iran have made huge diplomatic strides in recent weeks. But the historic deal
to keep Iran’s nuclear energy program focused on peaceful ends could fail if
the Senate votes for new sanctions on Iran while U.S. diplomats are
negotiating the agreement.

Urge your
senators to vote “no” on S. 1881 calling for new sanctions on Iran.

This is a
critical period for negotiations—and a time when new sanctions would be
particularly damaging. The White House, Senate leaders and a bipartisan group
that includes a former U.S. ambassador to Israel have all warned of the
consequences of these new sanctions on U.S.-Iran negotiations.

The White
House says that passing this bill greatly increases the chances that the U.S.
will take military action against Iran and that President Obama will veto the
legislation if it comes to his desk. Now sponsors of the Iran sanctions bill
are lobbying for a veto-proof majority of 67 senators to support the bill, so
that Congress could potentially override the president's veto.

Monday, January 20, 2014

As Christian communions and organizations throughout the United States, we write to you once again about the ongoing violence in Syria and the great suffering of the Syrian people. As the negotiations known as Geneva II approach, we appeal in particular for the United States and other involved countries to prioritize peace over their own geopolitical agendas; to stop supplying weapons to any armed actor; to press for a cease-fire; to support civil society organizations committed to peace; and to work vigorously towards a political solution.

Churches and Christian organizations within the region and many of our own churches, congregations and organizations have responded generously to the needs of millions of Syrians who are suffering as a result of the war. We remain grateful for the humanitarian assistance thus far provided by the United States government and encourage an ongoing, robust and impartial response. However, the needs are enormous and they continue to grow. In this increasingly dire situation, humanitarian agencies must have unfettered access to populations in need and the responsibility to support and shelter Syrian refugees cannot be left to neighboring countries that lack adequate capacity and means.

We are convinced that a negotiated political solution to the conflict in Syria is essential. We urge the government of Syria and the Syrian opposition delegation to move swiftly and with goodwill into that process. A political agreement will require compromise on the part of all parties involved. As negotiations begin we strongly affirm the call of the United Nations for an immediate end to the violence and all forms of human rights abuses. We believe that Syrians themselves should be the main negotiators of peace and that Syrian civil society actors committed to nonviolence, and women in particular, should be engaged in the process.

We further believe that the route to a just peace in Syria will require construction of a sustainable and inclusive political framework that upholds the rights and honors the diversity of all Syrians, regardless of ethnic or religious background or gender. This route also requires a just process, including smart restorative justice approaches, to ascertain accountability for war crimes or crimes against humanity committed by any party to the conflict.

The international community should be prepared to work with the Syrian people in support of a vigorous peace-building agenda. A second conference on security cooperation and other critical issues in the region, including the creation of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction, should follow Geneva II and involve all nations affected by the Syrian conflict.

As people of faith we will accompany the people of Syria as they seek a way out of the horrific cycle of violence in which they are caught. We will pray for wisdom and courage for you and your Administration as you seek to respond to the crisis.

Sincerely,

American Baptist Churches

American Friends Service Committee

Christian Reformed Church in North America

Church of the Brethren

Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Franciscan Action Network

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

Pax Christi International

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
World Renew

About Me

The Presbyterian Office of Public Witness is the public policy information and advocacy office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Its task is to advocate, and help the church to advocate, the social witness perspectives and policies of the Presbyterian General Assembly. The church has a long history of applying these biblically and theologically-based insights to issues that affect the public — maintaining a public policy ministry in the nation's capital since 1946.
Reformed theology teaches that because a sovereign God is at work in all the world, the church and Christian citizens should be concerned about public policy. In addition, Presbyterian forefather John Calvin wrote, "Civil magistry is a calling not only holy and legitimate, but by far the most sacred and honorable in human life."